Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I echo the words of Senator Brian Hayes. When the Estimates are published tomorrow there will be a public outcry. We should meet at 4 p.m. tomorrow to allow Members to express their views on the Estimates, which will have been published by that time.

There is a high level of expectation in areas such as health and education and there is particularly high expectation of the schools building programme. This matter has been debated several times. In the period prior to the general election the question of school buildings was raised several times each week. Children are learning, teachers are teaching and parents are leaving their children in school buildings which breach health and safety standards. If the schools building programme is cut back in the Estimates there will be an outcry. There is already outrage at the delays in the programme. Further delays will not be acceptable.

The Estimates will be published tomorrow evening. It takes no more than 25 seconds to open a page of the Book of Estimates and to calculate the difference between last year's spending and this year's. It does not take four hours to prepare a speech. We should debate this matter immediately after the publication of the Estimates. In recent times we have held debates on the budget in the late afternoon of budget day. Similarly, we should debate the Estimates as soon as they are published tomorrow afternoon so that we can outline our views on any cutbacks in health, education and other areas.

I ask Members on the other side of the House to recognise the fact that infrastructure is not just about roads, bridges and airports. It is also about services and people. If there is a cutback in those areas we will reap the whirlwind in the future. It would be appalling if we allowed that to happen.